Digital teaching during the coronavirus crisis
Innovation in Learning Institute (ILI) recognised for best practice
Classes have been postponed at all German universities due to the coronavirus. It is currently unknown whether classes will begin at the start of the lecture period on 20 April – in the meantime alternatives must be prepared. FAU has launched a new programme coordinated by the Innovation in Learning Institute (ILI) to support its teaching staff in transferring classes into digital formats as quickly as possible. The project is being supported by the Centre for Continuing Education in University-Level Teaching (FBZHL) and the Erlangen Regional Computing Centre (RRZE) which are both central institutions at FAU. The ILI’s suitability to coordinate the project is reflected in the national recognition received by the institute for best practice in digitalisation by Hochschulforum Digitalisierung.
The website schnell-digital.fau.de provides information and tutorials offered by the ILI on holding live webinars, recording audio and video and creating online courses. FAU teaching staff can also use the forum for sharing experiences and networking. ILI also offers consultations to assist teaching staff with digitalising their classes where required.
‘The programme has been welcomed by our teaching staff. We have already received 150 applications in just over a week. The next step will be holding consultations over the coming weeks,’ says Sónia Hetzner from the ILI. Additional online courses have been added to the website since Wednesday for teaching staff to acquire new digital teaching skills quickly and easily and improve their existing knowledge. ‘We are planning national and European collaboration with other universities to share expertise on existing offers and ideas,’ says Hetzner.
‘Crises like these present many challenges and difficulties. But we are hoping that the current developments in digital teaching will also benefit FAU in the future,’ says Prof. Dr. Bärbel Kopp, Vice President Education at FAU. The Multimedia Centre at the RRZE is also receiving a high volume of enquiries on recording lectures for the FAU video portal. Finally, the support programme also includes assistance from FBZHL in providing advice on matters relating to university education, teaching and training.
ILI recognised for best practice in innovation culture in teaching
Representing education in digital expertise at FAU, the ILI supports teaching staff in implementing innovative teaching and learning scenarios (for example blended learning and inverted classroom formats, electronic examinations, media production and integrating educational films in teaching) Within the Quality Pact for Teaching, the Quality in studying and teaching project coordinated by ILI has established a comprehensive range of services for teaching staff including consultations on developing courses, qualification programmes (training and workshops), video and StudOn meetings, loaning video equipment, funding advice for implementing digital support formats, regular networking meetings and events such as Tag der Lehre. The culture of innovation at FAU allows teaching staff the freedom to try new teaching and learning formats (such as using chatbots in teaching and virtual laboratories) and allows all members of the University (especially students and teachers) to prepare themselves better for the new challenges and demands facing society.
The Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD) has listed the Innovation in Learning Institute at FAU for best practice in digitalisation in its Showroom which recognises excellence in the strategic digitalisation of learning and teaching as an example for other higher education institutions. The ILI was recognised in the categories ‘Innovation culture in teaching’, ‘Support and advice’ and ‘Financing’ (https://showroom.hfd.digital/beispiel/4).
Further information:
Sónia Hetzner
sonia.hetzner@ili.fau.de